QatarEnergy has begun front-end engineering and design (FEED) work for 13 new shipping berths at the Ras Laffan South export terminal, it is reported. Australian engineering firm Worley reportedly won the FEED contract in the second quarter of 2026 and is carrying out design work estimated at roughly 200,000 to 250,000 man-hours.
The FEED work supports infrastructure to underpin expanded LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) export capacity at the Ras Laffan complex. The core scope is the construction of 13 new ship-loading berths at the Ras Laffan South export terminal, expanding the terminal’s simultaneous loading capacity, with the project expected to move into EPC (Engineering, Procurement and Construction) bidding once FEED is complete. The project is tied to QatarEnergy’s ongoing North Field Phase 3 expansion, reflecting export infrastructure buildout in response to rising production capacity.
The Ras Laffan complex currently operates 15 LNG trains with a combined production capacity of 77.5 million tonnes per year (t/y), and this capacity is expected to expand by as much as 63%, to about 126 million t/y, once the roughly $40 billion North Field Phase 3 expansion is completed by 2028, it is reported. The 13 new berths covered by this FEED are intended to provide the physical loading capacity needed to actually ship and export that additional production. EPC work for the North Field Phase 3 expansion is reportedly being carried out by a consortium including Chiyoda, Technip Energies, CCC and Gulf Asia Contracting, with this FEED project focused separately on the terminal’s loading infrastructure.
Qatar is pursuing both production expansion and export infrastructure buildout to maintain and grow its position as the world’s largest LNG exporter, and the new berths can be seen as addressing a potential export bottleneck.
This case illustrates that large-scale LNG expansion projects require simultaneous buildout of port and terminal infrastructure, not just expansion of liquefaction facilities themselves. Even substantial increases in production capacity may not translate into higher actual export volumes if loading throughput becomes a bottleneck, so evaluating major LNG projects requires looking at loading and terminal infrastructure investment alongside liquefaction train expansion plans. The fact that this FEED contract went to an Australian engineering firm rather than a Qatari national company also reaffirms that the engineering services market for large Middle East energy projects operates on an open, cross-border basis. Additional competition among major Asian and European construction firms can be expected once the project moves to the EPC bidding stage. Expanded port infrastructure investment could also have ripple effects on related equipment supply chains, including cranes, mooring systems and cryogenic piping, creating potential order opportunities for supply chain participants.
When this FEED work is completed and whether an EPC tender is subsequently announced are the first points to confirm. It also bears watching whether the progress of the North Field Phase 3 expansion’s various EPC packages aligns with the timeline for the new berths. Whether additional loading infrastructure or storage facility investments will be announced to support the 126 million t/y target is another point of interest. Whether QatarEnergy will disclose a specific investment figure or completion target date for this project also remains to be confirmed.